I find it very hard to find time for a good abdominal routine after or before my workouts. I am one of those people who only have a set amount of time that I can allot to working out everyday and if I use that time for ab workouts then I fall short of completing my other workouts – which for my personal goals are far more important. But I do not want to leave my abs out because they are not only a key factor in complete physical appearance but they are extremely essential to building a solid core which is one of the biggest factors in upper body strength. I always say to myself, I will just do abs when I get home from the gym, but that never has happened. So lately I have been trying something new – when I do my regular workouts and not the experimental ones. I have been doing a set of about 20-25 crunches in between every set of lifting reps that I do.

Fitness Model James Ellis

This not only has been building my abs back to where I want to see them but it has also been increasing my overall workout stamina. Putting your body in constant motion for an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half is a great workout. When doing this I am able to complete my full workout without relinquishing any amount of time to an abs workout because I am getting my ab workout in while I rest in between sets and because my rest time is spent doing abs, my endurance is getting even stronger.

This is how I have been doing my workouts. On a day where I would do biceps I would do four sets of curls with about 6-7 max reps on each of them. But in between the sets I would do a set of 25 crunches regular crunches. The when I switch to another exercise like hammer curls for instance, I would follow the same regimen but instead of doing normal crunches I would do a set of 25 side crunches and then vary on the next muscle exercise I did. I haven’t found a way to incorporate weights into the ab work out without using machines and taking up two things at once at the gym, but just working my abs by way of crunches and other non-weight involved exercises, I have been able to see a clear result. For about the first week and a half I thought this workout was too exhausting, but that was because I was trying to do too many ab reps in between sets. I was trying to do 50 crunches instead of 25. But after I lowered the amount that I was doing I was able to finish both workouts in the time it takes to do one and not feel like I had absolutely no energy left. When I am at the gym at my condos where there is never anyone there and I can use two machines at once without holding anyone up, I will also try to incorporate running for my rest time. Like I mentioned before, I only do this when I am doing my normal routine and not when I am varying from routine to routine, because it really only personally works for me when I am doing my normal lifting sets. But this can be a good thing to incorporate into cardio or leg workouts as a break that is not really a break.

Proper Crunches Thanks to YouTube ID masterblevins

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   As usual I have been messing with my routines at the gym. This week I tried something I had read about a little while back. I couldn’t find the name of what exactly it is called but I refer to it as the “pump and shape” workout. The main reason as to why I tried this work out this week is because I have been worried that I am not getting enough definition in my upper arms. The workout is simple, it is a normal six to seven max weight reps for four sets and then a twenty rep fifth set with a lower weight and a natural non weight exercise for a specific muscle. So for example, this week when I was doing triceps, I started my workout doing hammer extensions and I did four set of 6 reps at 70 pounds with each arm. Then I lowered the weight for the fifth set down to 40 pounds and turned out twenty reps. But the trick was to do the lower weight reps quicker and with more muscle focus, meaning that when doing the extension I never let my arm come past a parallel position to the ground and while keeping that form, I would speed up the extension. Then after I finished those off, I did a set of 25 diamond push ups for my non weight, because they have a heavy emphasis on the tricep. I followed this regimen for six more sets of tricep exercises varying the type of push up I did. I did this for when I worked biceps and then when I did back and for my natural non weight exercises for both I would do pull ups and chin extensions. I did the same for Chest and then shoulders as well but with different variations of push ups and when I was done with my week I could definitely see the results.
    Although it was a really beneficial and effective workout system, it was extremely tiring, so much so that I would never do it for more than a week at a time. I think that if I did this for consecutive weeks, then I would get burned out and not want to get into the gym every week. It is really a good thing to throw into your training system when you have hit a plateau or when you are trying to build up your stamina or even when you just want to vary from the norm for a week. This work out is a painful one that isn’t very fun, but it will whip you right into shape and begin to chisel away at your muscle’s definition while increasing overall mass. It’s the type of workout that you really feel great about after doing it, but at the same time you just want to go home and die on your couch afterward. So pretty much, like with the rest of the workouts, I say give it a try. Find a way to make it work for the type of workouts you do. That is probably the best advice I can give: curve the workouts to fit your specific needs. With all of these workouts, you can vary them so that you are targeting specific goals that you set for yourself. Just keep varying your cycles until you truly find one that works and then stick with that for a month or two and then switch it up again.

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   Recently I have been on this kick to try and find different workouts that allow me to accelerate my personal physical achievement levels while at the same time renewing my enjoyment of going to the gym on a daily basis. My main goal is to steadily increase my body and muscle mass while maintaining a solid physical appearance, which so far is going great. But I have found that if I don’t constantly mix up my routines I physically peak and the burn out rate sets in. Now you may call it something else, but everyone faces that burn out rate at some point or another. Its that pivotal moment(s) when you have come home from a ten hour day at work and still have other important things to do like studying, making time for that significant other in your life, grabbing a beer because you need one, or even catching a show that you like, and you need to decide if you want to go to the gym or not. This moment is huge, because you know you will feel like crap if you don’t go but you have no real motivation to go because it is the same old song and dance every time you go to the gym. Well, I found something as of late that has not only been a good motivator for me when this decision pops up but also an extremely effective workout tool, and that is immediate muscle compression workouts.
   One of the main reasons why this workout cycle is so appealing to me is because it gives me a break. Normally, I do heavy lifting six days a week, targeting different muscles each day. But with IMCW’s (we are moving this into an acronym) I only have to do three or four days of heavy lifting. Here is how it works. IMCW’s are simple they are just workouts that target your complementary muscles in a single more effective, more intense session. For example, normally I would work back (secondary biceps) one day and chest (secondary triceps) the very next because they are complementary muscles, and by working these muscles this way you are causing a compression on the body which slowly after time increases muscle mass. But IMCW’s are different, because you would be doing both chest and back in the same day rotating from one set of one exercise on back immediately followed by one set of one exercise on chest. You would then do this until you finished up your sets on both exercises and then move onto two more exercises, and then so one and so fourth. Then the next day you have off, to do cardio or abs or legs or just simply have it off (it is absolutely imperative that you do not work any of the muscles that you worked the day before, as you risk permanent muscle damage: work other muscles the next day or simply take the day off). I usually try to get four sets in on each exercise and about ten exercises per workout (five exercises per each of the two complementary workouts). Sometimes these workouts are referred to as blitz workouts because that is what you are doing; you are blitzing/shocking your system. Now because of this I would recommend throwing one of these cycles in a month as a break from the ordinary routine. Some people’s bodies can handle these on a constant basis, but other’s can’t so it is important to find that balance. You can do this with all the different complementary muscles in your body, like triceps and biceps, back and chest, etc. It is in fact effective and you will see results if it is done right (depending on diet and nutrition of course). Remember I am by far no expert, just an average Joe who likes to go to the gym and try new things and with anything new, I recommend that you do a little research first and make sure that this type of workout will yield the results that you are in fact looking for. Also, make sure you ease into these workouts, you will probably be at the gym for about an hour and fifteen minutes or more, and you will be working out the entire time, because there really is no rest.

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Hey Biggest Loser and Designer Whey fans!

Ali Vincent is an amazing and inspirational person...

I am so EXCITED to have this opportunity to continue to share my journey with all of you.  It truly is a journey!  If I had thought of it as a destination I know that I would never have been able to create the results I did.  Some days I wake up rearing to go, others not so much.  That is why it is soooooo important to have support systems and routines in place, so when you forget why you are waking up at the crack of dawn or packing a weeks worth of snacks… there are people to remind you

So as I sit here drinking my Red Raspberry Protein 2Go (since I’m traveling) pondering how to explain what you can expect from my Blogs, I’m realizing that there might not be a ‘perfect’ way to wrap up my blogging   I just want you to realize that everyday is a new day with new opportunities.  Now I imagine that some blogs will be more inspiring than others as I travel throughout the country meeting all of you and sharing those experience here on ‘our space’ if you will and then there will probably be those that are just me sharing day to day experiences and new AW HA’s.  It’s so amazing to me the things that I know I have heard a million times over in my life and on my journey to living an active, fun filled, balanced life that I never really heard before and become AW HA moments

Also keep in mind I am just a regular girl like most of you or maybe like a friend or a sister of your’s and not a Pulitzer prize winning author.  So if smiley faces and run-on sentence’s make you kringe throughout your body, like nails on a chalkboard do for me, then please allow me this opportunity to apologize in advance as I blog like I think and talk.  Those of you who know me from the Biggest Loser or magazine/TV interviews or from meeting me throughout my travels, know that I get so excited that I often get ahead of myself   So, I am sorry and hope that being me does not prevent YOU from checking out my blog and hopefully getting helpful information or an opportunity to just smile at times.

So there you have it in a nutshell, oh and if you have any questions email them and I’ll do my best to answer them

Believe It. Be It.- Ali

Ps-  I’m in Spokane this weekend for the Woman’s Show so come down and say Hi as well as I’ll give you a Biggest Loser protein 2Go sample…. you can always find out where I’ll be on my website www.alivincent.com ( How do you make that show up in pink? instead of blue )

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This is the “Transformation” Episode. And boy was it. But before we saw what Fashion Guru Tim Gunn did with the contestants, there of course was a challenge. They were strapped to cable wires and had to go 700 feet to the other side. Winner gets a $25,000 kitchen make over.

The teams all worked hard to keep their balance as they walked across their thin wire to the other side of the canyon. Each one tried their best to not look down the steep canyon and instead focus on trying to complete the challenge. Tara struggled when she fell off the cable, but eventually found her way back on. Filipe took a strong lead in the challenge. He didn’t keep the lead long; once Tara got her focus back, she gained back the minute she lost and shocked everybody by winning the challenge. Why people were shocked that Tara won, is a mystery to me.

Then the transformations by Tim Gunn. What can you say…they all looked fantastic!!! It is always motivating to see how people can change with EXERCISE and a change of eating habits.            

Weigh In: Everyone is so surprised that Helen lost 7 pounds and had a percentage weight loss of 4.14% which puts her in first place for the first time. Then Laura gets on the scale and due to her hip fracture has not done much of anything this week. She gains 3 pounds. Below the line are Laura and Kristen. Laura goes home.

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"hangover cure?"

Protein Water…A Hangover Cure?
It hasn’t been scientifically proven or anything even close but Protein water is a life saver from that dry nutrient deprived hangover feeling that you get from drinking too much beer or wine the night before. And while it certainly doesn’t revive me enough to want to go work out afterwards, it does however allow my body to withstand the realities of a day after drinking in a more than coherent and functional demeanor. I’ve drank protein water after every night of debauchery for about the past four months and I’ve been able to hang with the rest of society and not be forced to curl up in a ball on my couch and wish the sun had burnt out, because of it.  Designer Whey’s 60 calorie protein water has a sufficient amount of nutrients in it to lay down a solid foundation for recovery and it also helps control your hunger which allows you to ease into your first meal of the day instead of just ravishing through the first piece of fried greasy food you can get your hands on – and we all know how that pans out in the midst of a hangover. For me it’s refreshing because it is the first step in getting my life back on the right balanced track after completely destroying it 5-12 hours prior.  And because it is Whey Protein and not just regular protein it enters your system quicker and it’s nutrients are digested by your amino acids at a faster rate than water or other refueling drinks. Also, the sharp sweet bite it has to its taste that is pleasing to the senses, makes it harder to chug, and therefore easier to healthily intake – it also kind of wakes you up a little bit. Like I said, this hasn’t been clinically tested and proven by any nutritionist, just an avid gym “goer” who parties and is always looking for new methods of recovery. But those who I have had try this method, really found it beneficial and quite helpful in their road to joining the rest of society in the middle of a hangover.

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I’m training for a figure competition on March 21, 2009. Three to four weeks prior to a competition I will alter my diet so I can slim down and sculpt my muscles.

Competing in this category is purely based on the contour and definition of your muscles.

I also increase my daily exercise regimen to incorporate twice as much cardio to burn calories.

I started my new diet Monday:
1 scoop DESIGNER WHEY Orange Mango protein in water
1cup oatmeal plain 3 egg whites
1tbsp peanut butter salt free and brown rice cake salt free
1cup chicken plain 1 cup orange and yellow peppers
DESIGNER WHEY Protein Water 20g Pomegranate
1cup chicken 1 cup red and green peppers with onion fajita seasoning no salt
10 cashews
1cup of cottage cheese no fat

Workout:
1hr run
1hr eliptical
Biceps and Abs, 5 sets, 10 reps each:
5lbs dumbbell hammer curls
5lbs dumbbell decline
Roman chair leg lifts 20lbs between feet
Reverse crunch on the ball
Oblique twist on cable machine with 60lbs
Regular crunch on the ball with 125lbs
5 sets, 6 reps 12lbs dumbbell isolated curl
5 sets, 12 reps 8lbs reverse grip

This is me….

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Happy March, Friends…it’s suppose to warm up this weekend here in Michigan…Bring it on! I hope this finds you healthier then the day before. I have been thinking about patterns and realized that everything is based on a pattern. I, like a lot of Americans have lived an unhealthy pattern. If you pay attention to Bob, one of the “Biggest Loser” trainers he said to be healthy the pattern is “Fuel -> Move -> Rest. For me it was always Move -> Rest -> Fuel -> Rest some more. So I had it wrong.

Our church is having a diet and nutrition course for the next few weeks. I am learning a lot and thought I would share with you all what I have learned in just one session.

To stop cravings – eat every 3 hours small meals that include protein.

Exercise: How much and how long – You only need 30 minutes a day of cardio. Cardio is simply raising your heart rate higher then your sitting heart rate. Here is something interesting… you do not need to do 30 minutes in a row. I never seem to fit in 30 minutes a day then felt bad but if you do 3 – 10 minute work outs or even if you start out doing 5 minutes – 6 times a day that works! You can jog in place, jump rope, dance, rebound or anything that will get your heart rate above your sitting rate even… sex… LOL. OK, now run home and tell your husband its exercise time!

You need 1 hour each week strength training – it does not take very many pounds for strength. 2 – 5 pound weights is great! Carry a weight in your car and do bicep curls driving…ummm… one arm at a time! You can use soup cans or water bottles. I say use water bottles that you refill then after you are done doing reps, drink the water!

You need flexibility every day – stretching, bend touch your toes when you get out of bed, stand up from your computer. Practice flexibility anytime. Just get some stretching in wherever you can. That’s it to stay fit.

It’s best to exercise …ANYTIME! Morning does revs up your metabolism and helps keep it going all day.

The figure below is how to figure out how many calories you need to lose 1 pound a week just by your food intake. **Add exercise and you lose more!

1. Add 655 to this calculation 4.35 X Weight in Pounds
2. Add your answer to this calculation 4.7 X Height in inches
3. Subtract your answer to this calculation 4.7 X age
4. Subtract 500 calories

This equals the number of calories you need to take in each day to lose 1 pound a week. Not doing anything but this formula you could lose 52 pounds a year!

My weight is 278, Height 69 inches and I am 41
655 + 1209.3 (4.35 X 278) + 324.3 (4.7 X 69) – 192.7 (4.7 X 41) – 500 = 1495.9 calories a day. (1500 is close enough!)

To figure out how much water you need to drink a day it’s your weight divided by 2. My weigh is 278, I should be drinking 139 oz of water a day… whoa sure will be pee’n a lot! That’s over a gallon a day! That is hard to see doing but I think I will make it a goal to drink a gallon of water a day… Or lose weight so I don’t have to drink that much!

I hope this helps you with your weight loss journey. Start with figuring out your resting heart rate add a little more movement every day and before you know it you will have worked yourself up to 30 minutes of cardio a day. I will close for now…

Until next time… Camille from Michigan

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You see the infomercials on them, and immediately you think “where’s Chuck Norris and Suzanne Summer’s endorsement on this one?” But perfect push ups actually work and they can be used as a great tool to change up your chest routines. I am always trying to find new ways to reconfigure my workouts to get the same or even better results. At the same time, I am afraid to try new exercises in fear that they may be inferior to the ones that I already have in the sense that they might not yield the same quality of results. But when my roommate ordered these things from the TV, I thought to myself “I gotta at least give em a shot.” So one day when I was being rather lazy and unmotivated, I decided that I was going to do a weightless chest workout at home – consisting only of the many variations of push-ups and dips that you can do. I started off with the perfect push-ups because I heard that they could be quite intense. After doing four sets of 35 my entire body was decimated. I was able to do the rest of my work out but only at ¾ capacity, it was as if I was maxing that day.

Because of how drained I felt and how pumped my body was after that work out, I began to incorporate push-ups into my chest routine. I have been lifting seriously for quite some time now, so I am used to seeing the plateau that many of us hit after our routines become…well, routines. After initiating the perfect push-up, the diamond push up and the weighted dip into my workout I could almost immediately see the results and I could feel them as well. It is really hard to figure out my workouts because one professional will say maxing out constantly will increase muscle max, another will say increased reps with minimal maxing will do the trick and others say that resistance training and natural workouts are the best. I am no expert by any means so please, if I am off basis here, throw my words right out the window – but I thoroughly believe that it all depends on your body and your body type. I am a taller guy with really long arms, so it is tough to truly see immediate results sometimes and when you do begin to see them, they are usually followed by that plateau period. But I have found that this period can be easily broken up by interweaving naturalistic workouts with moderate maxing and heavy weigh protein intake. Throwing in the perfect push-ups to a chest routine has done wonders for my upper pectorals and weighted dips (real ones not the machine) have done wonders for my triceps. Take it or leave it, like I said I am by no means an expert, but if you are looking for a change try throwing in some natural exercises into your routine…who knows it might work for you too.

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Did you watch “Biggest Loser” this week? I did and I tell ya I get so excited to see my whey being used on the show. This week Designer Whey’s Powder was featured right before the last chance work out with a contestant mixing the “Biggest Loser Protein” into his water bottle and a promo too!

  I found interesting that Bob the trainer talked to Mikey about having to eat to lose weight. That still boggles my mind as it still did with Mikey. We are sooooo conditioned to think if we don’t eat, that it is the best way to lose weight. I’ve fallen into the thinking all my life and it has not got me anywhere. I am changing my thinking and see that I need to eat properly and exercise every day. I start my day by filling my 24 oz water bottle and a packet of orange mango 2go packet, take my vitamins, and have a cup of coffee. Then I take my kids to school. When I get back home I have breakfast; usually cottage cheese, toast and a fruit. Then I do sometime of movement. I can feel the difference and Thursday is my weigh in. I weigh in with a group once a month. I know I will see it move down again. So until Thursday and beyond I hope you all see the need to feed your self properly and get moving.

 Take Care,

 Camille

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